{"id":91944,"date":"2023-08-15T14:13:34","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T14:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/15\/moises-caicedo-joins-chelsea-from-brighton\/"},"modified":"2023-08-15T14:13:34","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T14:13:34","slug":"moises-caicedo-joins-chelsea-from-brighton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/08\/15\/moises-caicedo-joins-chelsea-from-brighton\/","title":{"rendered":"Moises Caicedo joins Chelsea from Brighton"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Chelsea have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for a \u00a3100m fee that could rise to a British club record of \u00a3115m.<\/p>\n

Liverpool\u00a0agreed a \u00a3111m deal\u00a0for the 21-year-old Ecuador player on Friday.<\/p>\n

But Caicedo\u2019s preference was Chelsea and they finally succeeded with a bid on Sunday evening after having a succession of offers rejected.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI didn\u2019t have to think twice when Chelsea called me, I just knew I wanted to sign for the club,\u201d Caicedo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a dream come true to be here and I can\u2019t wait to get started with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Caicedo, who joined Brighton for \u00a34m in February 2021, has agreed an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge and the Blues have an option of a further year.<\/p>\n

The additional \u00a315m in payments is based mostly on appearances and Brighton expect to receive the entire \u00a3115m within a short period of time.<\/p>\n

The Seagulls have also negotiated a significant sell-on clause for the midfielder.<\/p>\n

If Chelsea pay the full \u00a3115m fee it would mean they break the British club record twice in 2023, following the \u00a3107m purchase of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez in January.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoises has proved himself as a standout player in European football over the past 18 months,\u201d said Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley in a statement.<\/p>\n

Brighton Director of football, David Weir believes Chelsea are signing \u201cone of the top midfielders in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n

Brighton had set a fee in excess of \u00a3100m for Caicedo this summer and said they felt no one would reach it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoises expressed a strong desire to move on, and at that point it was crucial our valuation was met in full,\u201d said Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.<\/p>\n

In his news conference before the Seagulls\u2019 season opener against Luton, manager Roberto de Zerbi said he had \u201calready forgotten\u201d about Caicedo, adding: \u201cBigger clubs can buy our players but they can\u2019t buy our soul or spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caicedo joined Brighton from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in 2021 but did not make his Premier League debut until the following April.<\/p>\n

He asked to leave Brighton in the January transfer window earlier this year and Arsenal had multiple offers turned down for the midfielder before he signed a new contract until 2027 in March.<\/p>\n

Caicedo will be Chelsea\u2019s eighth signing of the summer, following Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Angelo Gabriel, Robert Sanchez and Diego Moreira.<\/p>\n

New manager Mauricio Pochettino has been tasked with overhauling the squad and vastly improving on last season\u2019s 12th-place finish in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, N\u2019Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ethan Ampadu, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Abdul Rahman Baba and former captain Cesar Azpilicueta have all departed so far this summer.<\/p>\n

Chelsea opened their Premier League season with a 1-1 home draw against Liverpool on Sunday.<\/p>\n

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